GOOD KAI

High Tea with a Twist, Scones (foreground) &  Jubileumstårta I was recently having lunch with a couple of pals at our Swedish friend's newly landscaped outdoor garden patio when she whipped up this amazing Swedish Sandwich (Jubilee) Cake -  Jubileumstårta . In Sweden this Jubilee cake can be ordered any most bakeries and is often used as a celebration cake for anniversaries, graduations etc. I bought along some of my freshly made scones (Mary Berry recipe) as an after-sweet but to be honest this sandwich cake is a fabulous and opulent divergence from your everyday high tea. It is impressive and I was surprised at how simple it is to put together, so I've put the recipe that my friend used below. Enjoy! Jubileumstårta - Sandwich Cake You are aiming for a sandwich that literally follows this format: Bread Tuna Filling Bread Egg Filling Bread Tuna Filling Bread Start with the bread first and layout three pieces for the bottom layer. Put half the t...

Le Salon Prive Restaurant, St Margarets, Twickenham La Salon Prive (The Private Lounge) is actually a newly re-invigorated, and much needed refurbished Brula - a French Bistro restaurant based in St Margaret's, Twickenham for over 15 years. The restaurant went through an ownership change back in January (the former owners having connections with other Richmond restaurants, La Buvette and A Cena, as well as Covent Garden restaurant Joe Allens). The new proprietor happens to be the same owner of a very popular Italian restaurant, Bacco, in Richmond. Bacco is one of my top Italian fine dining eats and here's a  review of Bacco  here. Entrance to Le Salon Prive, Dining Room La Salon have kept the lovely glass stained windows but have totally redone the inside. Formerly the restaurant resembled something similar to your geriatric granny's living room - it might seem charming but it really felt like it had been under-invested, incidentally a similar theme also exist...

View out to front of Rock and Rose Curiously, it says on Rock and Pose sorry Rock and Rose's website that they are an award winning restaurant which is intriguing, after my visit I felt this is definitely not a place for folk with discernible palates. Rock and Rose is full of promise, they have an exciting web page with the usual high res pics of a beautifully decorated eatery. The owners have done a wonderful job in creating a cosy, monochrome styled restaurant that oozes fun, but it is, without a comparable menu. R&R attract a demographic more consistent with that of a celebration or hen's night destination, and if that is their objective then more power to them! Haloumi starter Sashimi of Tuna & Salmon For me its perhaps unintentionally(?) more of a faux glamour environment - not really true sophistication but wonderfully popular nevertheless. I figure R&R serve adequate food for folk who are there to enjoy great cocktails, create a fun evenin...

Bellissimo, Twickenham I love the look inside this intimate restaurant which is located not far from Twickenham Station on London road. Bellissimo seemed to have popped up out of nowhere, well it did use to be a cafe, but with little social media presence (this is how I mostly stalk new restaurant info) it was only by chance we stumbled across it one night in Twickersville. Slow cooked sausage & bean, Mussels with garlic, tomato & bread The interior is exposed and I mean exposed. You have rustic brickwork and gaping floorboards as a ceiling, long hanging lighting, actually this is very much my kind of rustic style - with comfort of course. It all looks very promising. The Bellissimo menu is extensive, there are loads of starters - some are Napoli Sausages with beans, beef fillet with truffle oil, two aubergine options, salmon... it goes on. I had the mussels and my PICC (partner in culinary crime) - Chic Geek, ordered the Napoli sausages with beans.  Muss...

The Shack68, Twickenham This is the second of three american styled (Chicago Rib Shack, Blues Smokehouse & The Shack68) barbecue restaurants that have graced Twickenham's shores in the last 6 months. Its hard to believe that only 18 months or so ago Twickenham didn't even have a sushi store and that it is only now we are seeing some movement in the way of new fresh restaurants and bars in Richmond and Twickenham. Buffalo Chicken Wings were quite small, The Shack68 I believe The Shack68 were originally a 'pop-up' that has now turned full restaurant in record time. It's astounding to me how they were able to fit out a brand new restaurant and SpeakEasy bar upstairs, in less than a year of trading as a pop-up. There doesn't seem to be a whole lot of back story of the folk behind the restaurant either but after a little digging, it looks as though the team behind Twickenham's notorious Grand Union bar (Grand Union Group), are behind the new...

Maze Grill, Park Walk, London Gordon Ramsay returns to where it all began 21 years ago after securing the site where his very first restaurant, Aubergine, was founded. This time however, there shan't be any confusion over the name. Aubergine (which held two Michelin stars) was often confused by meat-averse hippie folk in London as a vegetarian joint. I can't imagine that went down well with with the fiery chef and after that fracas, there's been no restaurant name designation of a vegetable since.  Go figure, lol. Gordon Ramsay's Maze Grill - Steak & Sushi Maze Grill is said to be a Manhattan styled eatery that serves rare breed steaks along with sushi and sashimi. Today is their soft launch, the restaurant will be open for full service on the 22 April 2015. The location of Maze Grill is part-way down a quiet residential street in Fulham, just off the busy Fulham Road in London. There is a compression of good eating spots serving local folk and possibly...

La Nonna, Costa Adeje, Tenerife This is a lovely ocean side restaurant with a beautiful setting with equally lovely food. It is without a doubt one of the best restaurants in the area. There is a well presented, fairy-lit restaurant in front of La Nonna that wrangles all the unsuspecting tourists like a fly trap. We ate their our first night, but felt it was over priced, pretentious and didn't hold a candle to La Nonna. Lovely Spanish Red La Nonna does pasta but it also has tapas, and some pan asian influences. There is balcony seating that over-looks one of many plaza's with ocean views. We are staying in the Costa d'Adeje region where there are plenty of lovely bars with seating facing the ocean and settled on one for a pre dinner aperitif.  It is a lovely setting. Tea infused Salmon Carpaccio with Tofu and Yoghurt mayo   The 'La Nonna' Tapas - Andaluz Calamari, Greek Meatball, Iberian Ham, Salmon Tartar I can imagine it would be quite h...